Is it too cold for my girls?

[CraziChickLady]

So where I live it gets about 30s at night sometimes not even that. How cold can barred rock and rir handle? I don't want my girls getting to cold at night. Our coop is not insulated and the door is a hole, no door to close, so I was wondering what do you guys do to keep your coops warm? Lights? Heater? Also when do these breads start to lay?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Our Barred Rocks and RIR are outside right now, and the current temp is 25F. Their ventilation is wide open. If you didn't push them in, some would sleep on the open window sill. They love cool weather and couldn't care less about it.

So, when do they care? Right at Zero. It is at that point that they kind of hunker down, fluff up their feathers, drawn in their necks and look a bit grumpy. At 20 below? They are really grumpy. But there's no choice. I'm not a ball of joy at -20F either. Both the birds and I have lived through many a winter up here. Spring does come.

Eventually.

 

[CraziChickLady]

thank you! feel better now

 

[chfite]

I have Barred Rocks and New Hampshire Reds. Their coop has several square feet of ventilation year round. We don't often experience temperatures below 15 degrees, but they soldier on. Chickens adapt to the local weather conditions.

Chris

 

[NestingHillsSC]

Chickens dont start shivering till its -20. MineRIR's like the winter way better than the summers here in SC.